Trusted Teachers and Resources to Grow in Christ – Part 1

Jonas Croissant

6 days ago

13 min read

Dear Acts Church of Maricopa family,

As discussed recently, I wanted to share a list of trusted teachers and resources for you to consider as you learn more about God’s Word and grow in your love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Below are seven pastors and teachers who have been a blessing for my spiritual walk. Each section includes their country of origin, a brief introduction, significant facts about their ministry, five messages, and five books or published works.

These recommendations do not mean agreement with every statement or theological position these men held. I have stated a selected area of disagreement with each of these men as well, but overall we have unity over the most important teachings of Scripture. As always, we should read with discernment, check the Scriptures, and maintain personal Bible study, prayer, and participation in the local church.

Our final authority is Scripture, not any preacher, author, or ministry. Paul himself praised the Berean Christians for testing his words with the Scriptures: “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11, emphasis mine).

1. John MacArthur (1939–2025)

Country of origin: United States; born in Los Angeles, California.

Ministry: Grace to You and Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California.

Short bio and ministry highlights

John MacArthur became pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in 1969. Known for verse-by-verse biblical exposition, he emphasized the authority of Scripture, the lordship of Christ, and the clarity of the gospel. tmstms

Donerse and I were members of Grace Community Church under Pastor MacArthur earlier in our lives when we lived in Los Angeles. I also became a Calvinist by listening to his message on foreknowledge back in 2010.

His ministry left an extensive teaching library:

More than 3,600 recorded sermons, according to Grace to You’s retrospective. shop.gty
A 42-year preaching journey through the entire New Testament, completed in 2011. gty
Nearly 400 books and study guides, according to a Grace to You biographical sketch. This combined figure includes study guides, not just full-length books. gty

Five selected sermons

The Unfailing Promises of God — Encouragement to trust Christ’s promises and God’s faithfulness amid uncertainty. gty
The Fullest Revelation of Holiness — Teaching on God’s holiness and its revelation in Jesus Christ. gty
I Am the Good Shepherd — An exposition of John 10:11–21, highlighting Christ’s sacrificial care for His sheep. gty
Saved or Self-Deceived, Part 1 — A searching examination of Matthew 7:21–27 and the difference between religious profession and genuine faith. gty
Saved or Self-Deceived, Part 2 — A continuation of Jesus’ warning, considering the evidence of genuine discipleship. gty
Bonus — Pastor Jonas’ pick: The Theology of Creation (Selected Scriptures) | John MacArthur

Five selected books

The Gospel According to Jesus — Jesus’ teaching on salvation and discipleship.
Our Sufficiency in Christ — The spiritual resources believers possess in Christ.
Twelve Ordinary Men — Lessons from the lives of the twelve apostles.
Ashamed of the Gospel — A challenge to preserve biblical faithfulness rather than accommodate worldly expectations.
Slave — An exploration of belonging to Jesus Christ as Lord and Master.

Selected doctrinal disagreement: Pastor MacArthur believed that women can be deacons, while in our view the Bible states that deacons must be men (1 Timothy 3:8ff.) and shows the exclusive selection of male deacons in Acts 6.

2. John Piper (1946–present)

Country of origin: United States.

Ministry: Desiring God; formerly Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Short bio and ministry highlights

John Piper is the founder and lead teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary. His preaching emphasizes the supremacy of God, the beauty of Christ, and the relationship between glorifying God and finding our deepest satisfaction in Him. desiringgod

His ministry includes:

Nearly 33 years as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, beginning in 1980.
More than 50 years of preaching and teaching.
Thousands of messages, dozens of books, thousands of Ask Pastor John answers, and hundreds of Look at the Book Bible-study videos. These are broad descriptions of distinct resources, not a single lifetime sermon count. desiringgod

Five selected sermons and messages

Boasting Only in the Cross — The full message containing his well-known “Don’t Waste Your Life” appeal, calling us to make Christ’s cross our great boast. desiringgod
God Is Most Glorified in Us When We Are Most Satisfied in Him — An introduction to the relationship between delighting in God and honoring Him. desiringgod
Doing Missions When Dying Is Gain — A call to courageous participation in missions because Christ is worth more than life itself. desiringgod
The Pleasure of God in His Son — Teaching on the Father’s delight in the Son and the glory of Jesus Christ. desiringgod
Don’t Waste Your Life — A separate message, delivered in 2012, urging believers toward Christ-exalting lives of sacrificial love. desiringgod

Five selected books

Desiring God — The relationship between glorifying God and enjoying Him.
The Pleasures of God — A study of God’s character through what He delights in.
Don’t Waste Your Life — A challenge to live with eternal purpose.
God Is the Gospel — A reminder that the greatest gift of the gospel is God Himself.
Providence — An extended study of God’s purposeful rule over creation and history.
Bonus — Pastor Jonas’ pick: Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Second Coming of Christ : Piper, John: Amazon.com.au : Books

Selected doctrinal disagreement: Pastor Piper believes in continuationism, the view that all spiritual gifts, including speaking in tongues, continue to this day, while our view is cessationism, the view that spiritual gifts called signs and associated with the apostles and the foundational years of the church (such as speaking in tongues) ceased in the first century AD (resource: Sermon Acts 2: The Church, the Holy Spirit, and the Sign of Speaking in Tongues).

3. R. C. Sproul (1939–2017)

Country of origin: United States.

Ministry: Ligonier Ministries and Saint Andrew’s Chapel, Sanford, Florida.

Short bio and ministry highlights

R. C. Sproul founded Ligonier Ministries and devoted his teaching to helping Christians understand God’s holiness, the trustworthiness of Scripture, and the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith. He also served as the first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew’s Chapel. learn.ligonier

His teaching legacy includes:

More than 100 books.
Renewing Your Mind, a daily teaching broadcast carried on hundreds of radio stations worldwide.
Hundreds of preserved sermons, alongside numerous teaching series on theology, biblical interpretation, church history, and Christian living. learn.ligonier

Five selected sermons and teaching messages

Holy, Holy, Holy — A call to recover a biblical understanding of God’s holiness and our need for His mercy. youtube
Holiness and Justice — Teaching on the seriousness of God’s holiness and justice. thegospelcoalition
The Insanity of Luther — A teaching session exploring Luther’s struggle with guilt and the significance of justification by faith. learn.ligonier
By Faith Alone — An explanation of saving faith and why its object must be Christ. learn.ligonier
The Cost of Discipleship — A sermon from Luke on counting the cost of following Jesus. learn.ligonier
Bonus — Pastor Jonas’ pick: R. C. Sproul: The Curse Motif of the Atonement

Five selected books

The Holiness of God — An introduction to God’s holiness and its implications for our lives.
Chosen by God — A presentation of the Reformed understanding of election and salvation.
Everyone’s a Theologian — An accessible introduction to systematic theology. learn.ligonier
Knowing Scripture — Practical guidance for studying and interpreting the Bible. amazon
The Invisible Hand — An exploration of God’s providence and our confidence in His care. books.google.co

Selected doctrinal disagreement: Pastor Sproul believed that both infants and adults should be baptized (the doctrine of infant baptism), while our view is that the Bible only prescribes and describes the baptisms of people who confess their faith in Christ (credobaptism, i.e., older children and adults).

4. Paul Washer (1961–present)

Country of origin: United States; served for ten years as a missionary in Peru.

Ministry: HeartCry Missionary Society.

Short bio and ministry highlights

Paul Washer is an evangelist, author, and missionary whose preaching emphasizes the gospel, repentance, genuine conversion, and practical holiness. He became a believer while studying at the University of Texas and later served in Peru. heartcrymissionary

His ministry has a substantial missionary focus:

He founded HeartCry in 1988 while serving in Peru. heartcrymissionary
HeartCry’s website reports support for 377 indigenous missionaries in 76 countries. These are supported workers serving among their own peoples and communities—not 377 American missionaries personally sent overseas by Washer. heartcrymissionary
The reported regional totals are 12 in North America, 75 in Europe, 65 in Africa, 88 in Latin America, 112 in Asia, and 25 in the Middle East. These figures can change as partnerships develop. heartcrymissionary

Five selected sermons

Shocking Youth Message — A searching message from Matthew 7 challenging false assurance and calling listeners to take Jesus’ words seriously. heartcrymissionary
What Is the Gospel? — Teaching on the gospel, salvation, and the transforming power of God’s grace. heartcrymissionary
Regeneration vs. Decisionism — The distinction between making a religious decision and receiving a new heart through the Holy Spirit’s work. heartcrymissionary
Pray and Be Alone with God — An exhortation from Luke 11 to prayer and dependence upon God. heartcrymissionary
Marriage, Family, and Parenting — Practical teaching on marriage and parenting, including audience questions. heartcrymissionary
Bonus — Pastor Jonas’ pick: What a Man Is Not — Biblical Manhood, Part 1 — Paul Washer; and my wife loves that message as well: Recovering Biblical Womanhood — Paul Washer

Five selected books

The Gospel’s Power and Message — The central truths of the gospel.
The Gospel Call and True Conversion — The gospel’s call and the nature of conversion.
Gospel Assurance and Warnings — Biblical assurance and warnings against false profession. wikipedia
Knowing the Living God — A workbook-style study of the doctrine of God. heartcrymissionary
Discerning the Plight of Man — A study of humanity’s fallen condition and need for salvation. booknotification

Selected doctrinal disagreement: I do not know of an area of disagreement that I have with Paul Washer (!). Now, this is because Paul Washer’s teachings are more geared towards exhortations and less towards systematic theology, and because I do not know the details of his views well enough. I will say that I absolutely agree with his strong emphasis on the sufficiency of Scripture.

5. Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834–1892)

Country of origin: England, United Kingdom.

Ministry: New Park Street Chapel and later the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London. His writings are preserved through resources including The Spurgeon Library.

Short bio and ministry highlights

Charles Spurgeon was a Baptist pastor widely remembered as the “Prince of Preachers.” His ministry combined doctrinal conviction, vivid illustrations, pastoral warmth, and earnest appeals for sinners to trust Christ. Beyond preaching, he helped train pastors and supported charitable work, including care for orphans. spurgeon

His published legacy includes:

More than 3,500 sermons.
A 63-volume sermon collection spanning the New Park Street Pulpit and Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit.
More than 135 books, according to The Spurgeon Library. Exact totals vary with how collections and editions are counted.

Five selected sermons

These links lead to written sermons.

Compel Them to Come In — An earnest evangelistic appeal from Luke 14:23. spurgeon
The Two Draughts of Fishes — Lessons from Christ’s miraculous catches of fish, including encouragement concerning the work of His church. ccel
Preaching Christ Crucified — A message from 1 Corinthians 1:23 on keeping the crucified Savior central in Christian proclamation. spurgeon
A Gracious Dismissal — Encouragement from Luke 7:50 concerning forgiveness, saving faith, and the peace Christ gives. spurgeon
The Wordless Book — A gospel message from Psalm 51:7 concerning sin and cleansing through Christ. spurgeon
Bonus — Pastor Jonas’ picks: (1) Something Worth Seeking (Matthew 6:33) - Charles Spurgeon Sermon (2) Contentment! — Charles Spurgeon Sermon

Five selected books

All of Grace — A clear presentation of salvation as God’s free gift. ccel
Morning and Evening — Daily devotional readings for morning and evening.
The Treasury of David — An extensive exposition of the Psalms.
Lectures to My Students — Counsel on preaching, prayer, character, and pastoral ministry. spurgeon
The Soul Winner — Teaching and encouragement concerning evangelism. ccel

Selected doctrinal disagreement: Pastor Spurgeon believed in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith (I mostly do as well, as it is Reformed) and thus believed that Christians honor the Sabbath on Sundays for the Lord’s Day. Our view sees the Saturday Sabbath as a past shadow of the accomplished work of Christ (Colossians 2:16–17) and, along with circumcision, one of the two covenantal signs of the Mosaic covenant (Ezekiel 20:12, 20), both of which do not apply to the New Covenant Christian church.

6. John Calvin (1509–1564)

Country of origin: France; born in Noyon. His principal ministry was in Geneva, now part of Switzerland.

Ministry: Pastoral preaching, biblical exposition, and church reform in Geneva; he also served a French-speaking refugee congregation in Strasbourg.

Short bio and ministry highlights

John Calvin was a French pastor, biblical commentator, and leading theologian of the Protestant Reformation. Although many know his name through “Calvinism,” his ministry extended beyond debates about predestination. He devoted himself to explaining Scripture and helping the church order its worship and life according to God’s Word.

Significant facts include:

He returned to Geneva in 1541 and remained until his death in 1564—approximately 23 years of sustained ministry following his earlier period there. calvin
He preached more than 150 sermons per year, according to Biola University’s biographical account. This describes his preaching pace, not an exact lifetime total. biola
He wrote commentaries on most books of the Bible, along with theological treatises, letters, and successive editions of the Institutes of the Christian Religion. A simple “number of books” can be misleading because editions divide his writings differently.

Five selected sermons

All five sermons below are available in the same free English-language collection. Follow the link and select the corresponding title from its contents.

Sermon on the Deity of Jesus Christ — John 1:1–5 — Teaching on the eternal Word and the deity of Christ. monergism
Sermon on the Nativity of Jesus Christ — Luke 2:1–14 — An exposition of Christ’s birth and the good news announced to the shepherds. monergism
First Sermon on the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ — Matthew 26:36–39 — A meditation on Christ’s suffering in Gethsemane and submission to the Father. monergism
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ — Matthew 28:1–10 — An exposition directing our attention to the risen Savior. monergism
On Perverting the Gospel of Christ — Galatians 1:6–8 — A warning against departing from the apostolic gospel. monergism

Five selected books and published works

Pastor Jonas’ pick: Institutes of the Christian Religion — Calvin’s major theological work, addressing the knowledge of God, salvation, Christian living, and the church. calvin
A Little Book on the Christian Life — Also published as Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life. Drawn from the Institutes, it addresses self-denial, bearing the cross, and living with an eternal perspective. These titles represent alternative editions of substantially the same work.
The Necessity of Reforming the Church — A shorter work explaining the need for biblical reform in the church’s worship, teaching, and practice.
A Reply to Cardinal Sadoleto — Calvin’s defense of the Reformation in Geneva, addressing the gospel and the nature of the church. link.springer
Sermons on Ephesians — A collected volume offering an opportunity to encounter Calvin as a pastor and biblical expositor. wscal

Selected doctrinal disagreement: Pastor Calvin believed in amillennialism, the view that Christ reigns spiritually now and that this is the thousand-year reign of Christ in Revelation 20, and that He will not reign on earth in the future when He returns. This was the view of the Roman Catholic Church in his day when the Protestant Reformation was established. The Reformation did not reach the biblical truth on eschatology, as more essential battles were being fought on the gospel itself and the supremacy and sufficiency of Scripture and many aspects of ecclesiology. Our view is that of premillennialism, the natural reading of Revelation and its chronology, according to which a worldwide tribulation will occur on earth (Revelation 6–18), culminating in Jesus’ second coming (Revelation 19), the subsequent 1,000-year reign of Jesus on earth (Revelation 20), and the final, eternal new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21–22).

7. Matthew Henry (1662–1714)

Country of origin: Wales, United Kingdom; born at Broad Oak, Flintshire. He spent most of his pastoral ministry in England.

Ministry: A Presbyterian congregation in Chester, followed by ministry in Hackney, London.

Short bio and ministry highlights

Matthew Henry was a Nonconformist Presbyterian pastor and biblical commentator. He is best remembered for his practical, devotional exposition of Scripture, which connects the meaning of the biblical text with worship, prayer, character, and daily obedience.

His ministry included:

25 years of pastoral service in Chester, from 1687 to 1712, before moving to Hackney. banneroftruth
Monthly services in five nearby villages, alongside regular preaching to prisoners in Chester Castle. banneroftruth
Five completed commentary volumes covering Genesis through Acts. He finished Acts on April 17, 1714, shortly before his death. Other ministers completed the sixth volume, covering Romans through Revelation, with reference to his notes and writings. The entire six-volume commentary should therefore not be attributed solely to Henry’s pen.
Three discourses on daily communion with God, preached in 1712 and subsequently published to help believers begin, spend, and close each day with Him. digitalpuritan

Five selected sermons and discourses

These links lead to written sermons. The first three are separate discourses within the same collection.

How to Begin Every Day with God — The first discourse: beginning the day with prayer, dependence, and attention to God. monergism
How to Spend Every Day with God — The second discourse: maintaining fellowship with God amid ordinary responsibilities. monergism
How to Close Every Day with God — The third discourse: ending the day with reflection, prayer, and renewed dependence upon the Lord. monergism
A Church in the House: A Sermon Concerning Family Religion — A practical call to cultivate biblical instruction, worship, and godliness in the home. purelypresbyterian
A Sermon Concerning the Right Management of Friendly Visits — An exhortation to use fellowship and personal visits for mutual spiritual encouragement. digitalpuritan

Five selected books and published works

Pastor Jonas’ pick: Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible — An extensive devotional commentary. Remember that Henry completed Genesis through Acts; other ministers supplied the remaining New Testament exposition. banneroftruth
A Method for Prayer — A guide to prayer using the language and themes of Scripture. openlibrary
Directions for Daily Communion with God — Three discourses on beginning, spending, and closing each day with God. monergism
A Discourse Concerning Meekness and Quietness of Spirit — Teaching on the nature, value, and practice of Christian meekness. sermonindex
The Pleasantness of a Religious Life — An exploration of the joy and goodness of a life devoted to God.

Selected doctrinal disagreement: Pastor Matthew Henry taught covenant theology, which creates names for covenants often not explicitly stated in the Bible and generates implications which we believe go beyond what Scripture says. This view is nonetheless taught by many godly Reformed brothers and sisters in Christ. Our view is to rely on biblically termed covenants and avoid overarching theological systems which are not exegetically derived directly from Scripture verses.

A Pastoral Encouragement

May you be blessed through the ministries of godly men throughout church history. As Paul says, all these men are ours to grow in Christ, in fact given by Christ to the Church (Ephesians 4:7-13), and Christ is the only one we should boast in and rely on as He alone will never disappoint: "21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's" (1 Corinthians 3:21-23). Amen.

Blessings in Christ,